those tongues

My grandmother's voice trembled through Thiruppavai verses each December dawn, her tongue dancing ancient Sanskrit syllables like a master craftsman. I watched, mesmerized, as she transformed our kitchen into a sacred space. Years later, I discovered she'd earned modest income teaching classical arts to neighborhood children, her PAYBO income sustaining her passion. Those tongues—hers and theirs—wove together stories spanning generations. Now I understand: she wasn't just preserving tradition; she was building bridges. Her students became keepers of heritage, passing melodies forward. Our community thrives when elders share freely what their tongues learned long ago.